Children's bank accounts: what options are there in 2025? 

Your child’s first bank account is a significant milestone, teaching them about budgeting and giving them their first taste of financial independence. 

There are more options available in 2025, including Monzo, which last month removed the waitlist for its under-16 account.

Here, we explain how Monzo’s account compares with the alternatives, from digital challengers to familiar high street banks and pocket-money apps.

What does Monzo's account offer?

Monzo's account is available to children as young as six. It's free to use and managed via the Monzo app.

You must be an existing Monzo customer to open an account for your child, and all accounts are managed using a mobile banking app, so they'll need access to a smartphone or tablet. Your child's account will be linked to your own, meaning you get instant phone notifications every time they spend or receive money.

You can set up automatic top-ups for weekly or monthly pocket money, and your child can set savings goals for something special such as their birthday or a family holiday. 

Daily spending is capped at £250 on the card and £100 at cash machines, although these limits can be lowered.

Monzo has also added two new features: you can now invite another adult to help manage your child’s account, and friends or family can send money using a unique payment link.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly to your child, they can choose their own pink, yellow or blue neon Monzo debit card.

• Find out more: best children's bank accounts 2025

Monzo vs Starling – how do they compare? 

Monzo and Starling are two of the most successful digital banking brands, and are both Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) for current accounts in 2025. 

There isn’t much to separate these two – both offer an impressive array of app features, and neither charges fees to manage the accounts, top them up with money or use the debit cards abroad. As kids' bank accounts don't have overdrafts, you don’t need to worry about your child racking up debt, either. 

Starling doesn’t support mobile wallets. It offers a payment link for gifting and lets joint account holders manage a child’s account together. Its Kite card comes in teal with two purple circles.

Need to know:

• Spending blocks: Monzo and Starling both block card spending at gambling sites and betting shops. Starling states that it restricts purchases at pawn shops and video game arcades too, although it’s not always possible to block every transaction. 
• Extra perks: Starling has said it will run its 'Kids eat free' promotion again during the 2025 school summer holidays, meaning Kite customers get two free children's meals at any National Trust café (you can request a gift card in the app nearer the time).
• FSCS protection: You, the parent or guardian, will still be the primary account holder, so the money added to a Starling Kite or Monzo under-16s account will count towards your own Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection limit of £85,000. 
• Older teens: Monzo or Starling both offer accounts for 16-17 year olds, which are essentially the same as their adult accounts, but without an overdraft facility.

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What about high street bank accounts for children?

When it comes to banks and building societies with branches, none come close to giving you the same level of parental oversight and control that the Monzo and Starling accounts offer. However, you do get more flexibility in how you can manage the accounts, and several providers pay interest. 

None of the big high street brands offer bank accounts for children under 11, but our pick of the bunch is Nationwide FlexOne. This can be opened for 11 to 17 year olds and managed online, over the phone, in-branch or via the Nationwide mobile banking app. 

The best FlexOne perks are fee-free debit card spending abroad and 2% interest on up to £1,000. Your child can also open an instant-access FlexOne Saver, currently paying 5% on balances up to £5,000 (they can continue to use this savings account until age 23).

Need to know:

• Opening the account: If your child is aged 11 or 12, you need to visit a Nationwide branch to open the FlexOne account, but otherwise you can apply online. Although FlexOne is aimed at 11 to 17 year olds, they can keep it until age 23. 
• Card options: They can have either a FlexOne cash card or a Visa debit card. Cash cards can only be used to get money from cash machines (capped at £300 a day) and print mini statements, while debit cards can be used to pay for things in shops and online.     
• Spending controls: Nationwide automatically blocks gambling transactions, and the debit card is limited to £45 contactless payments, down from the usual £100. You can also call Nationwide to discuss further restrictions on contactless payments.
• FSCS protection: Unlike the children's accounts from Monzo and Starling, FlexOne deposits belong to the account holder, ie your child, for the purposes of FSCS protection. 

Find out more: best banks and bank accounts 2025

What about pocket-money apps and prepaid debit cards? 

Beyond the banks and building societies, there are also prepaid cards targeted at children as young as six. These include GoHenry, HyperJar, Nimbl, Osper and NatWest Rooster Money.

These are closer in design to Monzo and Starling in terms of parental controls, as they have one mobile app for parents and one for kids. Some have additional features such as ‘Chores’, available with a Rooster Card subscription (£1.99 a month or £19.99 a year), which lets you set your child tasks to complete to earn their allowance or set ‘extra earners’ throughout the week.

The biggest drawbacks are no FSCS protection and – more often than not – monthly or annual fees, cashpoint charges and overseas card fees. HyperJar is one of the few with no monthly fee, but the card itself costs £4.99 and it charges £1 to 'load' money onto the prepaid card beyond its allowance (10 x £10 from a bank account, per calendar month). 

Need to know:

• Account features: Unlike children's bank accounts, prepaid accounts can't be used to set up direct debits, but the cards can be used in shops, online and (in most cases) for cash withdrawals.
• Fees and charges: Watch out for annual or monthly service fees (for example, GoHenry costs from £3.99 a month) and charges for using the card at cashpoints and abroad.
• No FSCS protection: Prepaid cards are not covered by the FSCS should any of these providers go bust. Customer deposits must be ringfenced with a separate bank or building society, but avoid keeping large sums of money on these cards regardless. 

Find out more: Financial Services Compensation Scheme explained